Dave Chappelle to give rare performance in Dayton to support WYSO

We will give you the good news first: WYSO 91.3 FM is going to make a ton of money.

Now here’s the rub: the remaining tickets to Dave Chappelle’s benefit for the public radio station are now officially gone. Diane Schoeffler-Warren, a spokeswoman for the Victoria Theatre Association, confirmed the show is now sold out. This morning, the 800 tickets that had remained for the show went on sale.Ticket sales opened at 10 a.m. with patrons being placed in a queue and randomly assigned numbers representing their place in line. The show was sold out by 10:40 a.m., according to a message posted on the Ticket Center Stage’s website. “Everything went smoothly,” Schoeffler-Warren said.The Schuster Center’s Mead Theatre has 2,300 seats.WYSO is giving about 1,500-floor-seat tickets to Chappelle’s show to supporters who donated $365 or more during its spring fundraising drive.

>> FIRST REPORT (April 24, 2019): The first wave of tickets to Dave Chappelle's benefit show for WYSO came and went in a flash. But you still have a shot to see the internationally known comedian.

A thousand tickets to the show set for 8 p.m. June 12 at the Schuster Center, 1 West Second St. in downtown Dayton, will go on sale to the public starting at 10 a.m. May 10, Luke Dennis, WYSO 91.3 FM's development director, told this news organization.

Those tickets will be sold to the public via Victoria Theatre Association's Ticket Center Stage  for $69.50 and $89.50 for a single ticket by calling 937-228-3630 or 888-228-3630 or visiting at www.ticketcenterstage.com.

The box office is located at 138 N. Main St. in Dayton.

Credit: Christopher Polk

Credit: Christopher Polk

>> Dave Chappelle surprises scammed couple at restaurant with free tickets 

Only two tickets will be given out per transaction. Organizers hope limiting tickets will cut down the likelihood of ticket scalper scams.

>> RELATED: Dayton-area residents to receive prize alongside nationally known activists who fight for social justice 

Luke Dennis, WYSO 91.3's development director, told this news organization that the station sold 1,400 tickets on Tuesday, April 23, as part of its spring fundraising drive.

Those who donated $365 or more will receive a pair of floor-seat tickets to the show. Those ticket sales started at 6 a.m. The station told this new organization at 5:12 p.m. that those tickets packages were sold out.

>> Chris Rock, Micheal Che, among stars with Chappelle during epic Prince-fueled ‘Juke Joint’ in Yellow Springs barn Saturday 

Chappelle, a WYSO listener who lives near Yellow Springs, is donating his performance to help the station as it transitions to independence.

WHY DOES THE STATION NEED MONEY?

Proceeds will benefit the NPR affiliate as it transitions into an independent radio station.

>>RELATED: Dave Chappelle on Yellow Springs: “I have time to think about things”

The station’s newly formed nonprofit organization took control of WYSO from Antioch College for $3.5 million on April 1 after a fundraising drive led by a donation from Charles Berry, an heir of the Berry family that founded the Yellow Pages.

The Yellow Springs based nonprofit is still awaiting final approval from the Federal Communications Commission of the license transfer.

>> RELATED: Antioch College sales WYSO to community group

WYSO officials met with Chappelle and his wife, Elaine, a few weeks ago as part of their efforts to secure funds for the transition.

He volunteered to do a show to benefit the nonprofit, allowing it to use the money raised as it sees fit.

>>RELATED: T.I., Aziz Ansari among celebrities spotted at second night of Dave Chappelle Yellow Spring's Juke Joint

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